Chris' 2026 Private Teaching Schedule

 Chris will not be teaching private lessons on the following dates in 2026:

January 1, 2026
February 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 12
March 9, 10, 11, 12
April 13, 14, 15, 16
May 11, 12, 13, 14
June 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, 25
July 20, 21, 22, 23
August 10, 11, 12, 13
September 7, 8, 9, 10
October 12, 13, 14, 15
November 23, 24, 25, 26
December 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31
January 2027:  25, 26, 27, 28

It is important that you understand your lesson time is reserved for you.  If you are unable to make a lesson, please me know as soon as possible.  If you miss a lesson, you will be expected to pay for that lesson unless you are sick or have a true emergency.  If you are missing a lesson because of a birthday party, date, prom, school event, vacation, etc., you will be expected to pay for the missed lesson(s). This has always been store policy, but it has not always been strictly enforced.  If you have frequent emergencies or illnesses, we can discuss what the best solution would be.  Sometimes I am able to schedule make-up lessons, in which case you would not have to pay for the missed lesson.

My $10 Trombone

Most people are surprised to learn that I play wind instruments.  They know me from bluegrass, and they know I play banjo, fiddle, guitar, and other string instruments.  They don't know that I played euphonium and trombone in junior high, high school and college.

What I actually wanted to play when band started in the 6th grade was the flute.  But my two sisters before me quit band, so I had to take an instrument that the school provided.  What was my next choice?  Tuba!  But, alas, they said I was too small.  So I chose the next biggest instrument the school provided -- the euphonium!  My band director, Linda Wegmann, played euphonium, and she was such an inspiration to me!  I had to wait for my euphonium.  Two other boys got the first pick, and there were only two euphoniums.  So I sat in band class each day for several weeks with no horn.  I watched and listened and took everything in.  Then...my horn arrived!  I was so proud of that horn!  I had to drag that thing on the school bus every day to and from school.  Yes, I practiced.  Yes, I took my horn home every day. We had band every day in school.

Now you are probably wondering where the trombone actually fits in.  It doesn't until high school.  I was going to Hillsboro High School at the time where Mark Trautwein was my band director.  He was a great teacher!  And now there was JAZZ BAND...!!!  And another trombone player named Daniel that I thought was so cute!  Not to mention the guitar player, Ralph!  Of course, I just HAD to get into jazz band.

Every week, my Dad and I would go to the Big Pevely Flea Market.  We would set our watches in the parking lot to the minute.  Then Daddy would let me browse the entire place by myself as long as we met back at the designated area at the appropriate time.  This is where I bought all my instruments!  I didn't have much money, but I saved it all for the flea market.  I bought a trumpet, a cornet, a snare drum, guitars, a fiddle, a saxophone, and probably more!  But Daddy bought me a trombone for $10!  I took it home and taught myself to play it.

And I played that trombone all through high school and in college!  I still have that $10 trombone, and I still play it.

Chris' 2025 Private Teaching Schedule

Chris will not be teaching private lessons on the following dates:

January 27, 28, 29, 30 (updated)

February 17, 18, 19, 20

March 10, 11, 12, 13

April 14, 15, 16, 17

May 12, 13, 14, 15

June 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19

July 21, 22, 23, 24

August 11, 12, 13, 14

September 1, 2, 3, 4

October 20, 21, 22, 23

November 24, 25, 26, 27

December 22, 23, 24, 25, 29, 30, 31

January 2026:  1

It is important that you understand your lesson time is reserved for you.  If you are unable to make a lesson, please me know as soon as possible.  If you miss a lesson, you will be expected to pay for that lesson unless you are sick or have a true emergency.  If you are missing a lesson because of a birthday party, date, prom, school event, vacation, etc., you will be expected to pay for the missed lesson(s). This has always been store policy, but it has not always been strictly enforced.  If you have frequent emergencies or illnesses, we can discuss what the best solution would be.  Sometimes I am able to schedule make-up lessons, in which case you would not have to pay for the missed lesson.

Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamp 2024

I am thrilled to be on the staff of Steve Kaufman's Acoustic Kamps! I will be teaching for two weeks this June. (And celebrating my birthday during that time as well!) Every summer, this award winning and all-inclusive music Kamp is held at Maryville College in the foothills of the great Smoky Mountains. Make this year YOUR year to get out and pick! I will be teaching ultra beginners of all instruments and am so excited to get you playing with others!

Old Time and Traditional Week is June 9-15, 2024, and Bluegrass Week is June 16-22, 2024.

Check it out at www.Flatpik.com

The instruments taught during Old Time Week are Old Time Fiddle, Old Time Mandolin, Hammered Dulcimer, Old Time Banjo, Mountain Singing, Flatpicking, Rhythm Guitar, Celtic Guitar, Irish Fiddle, Fingerpicking and Mountain Dulcimer.

Bluegrass Week: Flatpicking, Bluegrass Banjo, Mandolin, Songwriting, Swing Rhythm Guitar, Dobro™, Bluegrass Fiddle, Bass, Ukulele, Bluegrass Rhythm Guitar and Bluegrass Vocals.

I am so glad to be a part of Kamp this year, and I hope to see you and your friends at SKAK in June.

If you have any questions or concerns, you can send a direct email to steve@flatpik.com.

Chris' 2024 Private Lesson Schedule

 

Chris will not be teaching private lessons on the following dates:

January 1,2
February 5, 6, 7, 8, 12
March 11, 12, 13, 14
April 15, 16, 17, 18
May 13, 14, 15, 16 
June 10, 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20
July 22, 23, 24, 25
August 12, 13, 14, 15
September 2, 3, 4, 5
October 21, 22, 23, 24
November 25, 26, 27, 28
December 23, 24, 25, 26, 30, 31
January 2025:  1, 2

It is important that you understand your lesson time is reserved for you.  If you are unable to make a lesson, please me know as soon as possible.  If you miss a lesson, you will be expected to pay for that lesson unless you are sick or have a true emergency.  If you are missing a lesson because of a birthday party, date, prom, school event, vacation, etc., you will be expected to pay for the missed lesson(s). This has always been store policy, but it has not always been strictly enforced.  If you have frequent emergencies or illnesses, we can discuss what the best solution would be.  Sometimes I am able to schedule make-up lessons, in which case you would not have to pay for the missed lesson.

Chris' 2023 Private Lesson Schedule

Chris will not be teaching private lessons on the following dates:

January 30, 31 

February 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9

March 13, 14, 15, 16

April 3, 4, 5, 6

May 1, 2, 3, 4

June 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20, 21, 22

July 24, 25, 26, 27

August 14, 15, 16, 17

September 4, 5, 6, 7

October 9, 10, 11, 12

November 20, 21, 22, 23

December 25, 26, 27, 28

January 2024: 1, 2 

It is important that you understand your lesson time is reserved for you. If you are unable to make a lesson, please me know as soon as possible. If you miss a lesson, you will be expected to pay for that lesson unless you are sick or have a true emergency. If you are missing a lesson because of a birthday party, date, prom, school event, vacation, etc., you will be expected to pay for the missed lesson(s). This has always been store policy, but it has not always been strictly enforced. If you have frequent emergencies or illnesses, we can discuss what the best solution would be. Sometimes I am able to schedule make-up lessons, in which case you would not have to pay for the missed lesson.

Oh My Bow!

 Have you ever opened your case to this?!

If so, let me introduce you to carpet beetles!  These are tiny beetles that like horse hair from your bows, dark places, and other things.  They will even eat holes in your sweaters!  Think that your house is clean and won't get them? Think again!  They can fly in or can be introduced through cut flowers that are brought into your house.  

Carpet beetles are super common, and if you have a case that is closed for any length of time, especially if you are simply storing an instrument and bows, you will be very likely to encounter them.  What I think is amazing about this is that it will look like someone took a pair of scissors and cut all the hair across in the same place!  If you look closely, you may see the larvae or the larvae skin that has been shed in your case.

Here is what the larvae looks like.  They are tiny!

The beetles themselves are the size of the pin head or smaller.  There are several different types, but the ones I see here in the St. Louis region look similar this.  Remember, they are tiny, tiny!  Not even close to being as big as a lady bug.

So how do you prevent them?  Make sure that anything that they will like is sealed tightly.  A zipper is not tight enough, nor is a normal case that is closed.  You can store bows in air-tight plastic holders.  You can also seal storage containers with tape.  I use moth balls to repel them, but you need to be careful about children and materials that the mothballs may come into contact with.  For prevention and treatment, there is a lot of great advice from The University of California's Agriculture and Natural Resources page here:  http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7436.html